Fadnavis-Shinde 'discord' has hit Maharashtra's progress, claims Sanjay Raut
MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde suspects his phone calls are being monitored, and central agencies are tracking his movements, amid growing tensions between him and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut has claimed.
"An MLA told me that Shinde is convinced that surveillance is being conducted on him and his associates," Raut wrote in his weekly column Rokhthok in Saamna, the Shiv Sena (UBT) mouthpiece.
Raut alleged that strained relations between Fadnavis and Shinde have paralysed the Maharashtra government despite its majority. He claimed Shinde has not come to terms with the fact that he was not reinstated as chief minister after the November 2024 assembly elections and is desperately trying to reclaim the position—a reality that Fadnavis fully understands.
In the elections, the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the NCP led by Ajit Pawar, secured 230 out of 288 seats.
"Our Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the BJP-backed Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde have almost no real communication anymore, which has turned into a source of entertainment for the public," Raut charged.
According to Raut, Shinde's political control over his stronghold, Thane, is being systematically weakened by the BJP. The appointment of BJP minister Ganesh Naik as the guardian minister of the neighbouring Palghar district is allegedly part of this strategy.
"Naik was already a minister in the first Shiv Sena-BJP government when Shinde was just a municipal councillor. He will not take orders from Shinde," Raut wrote.
Notably, Naik recently said he wants the saffron party to flourish in Thane, hinting at a possible power struggle. He also announced plans to hold public grievance meetings in the city, fuelling speculation that the BJP is preparing to challenge Shinde’s dominance.
Raut claimed Shinde's role in the government has diminished significantly. He is frequently absent from key cabinet meetings and, when present, is often late.
"On 30 January, he arrived two-and-a-half hours late for a District Planning Committee meeting at the World Trade Centre," he alleged.
Quoting a senior MLA from Shinde’s faction, Raut claimed Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised Shinde that the 2024 assembly elections would be fought under his leadership and that he would continue as chief minister.
Encouraged by this assurance, Shinde is believed to have spent enormous amounts of money during the campaign. However, when the time came, Shah allegedly did not keep his word, leaving Shinde feeling deceived and politically cornered.
A senior BJP minister recently dismissed reports of tensions, stating there were no "major differences" between Fadnavis and Shinde.
However, Raut countered, "Similar claims were made before the Shiv Sena split (in June 2022). What happened after that is something the entire country witnessed."
He further claimed that many MLAs in Shinde’s camp are now "uneasy", with some considering joining the BJP under Fadnavis’ leadership, while others contemplate returning to the Thackeray-led Sena (UBT). However, the fear of central agencies has left them hesitant to act.
"Shinde's leadership is no longer secure," Raut alleged, adding that even the BJP is working against him.
He also claimed the RSS has deployed its own people as personal assistants to ministers from both the Shinde and Ajit Pawar camps to monitor their activities and curb corruption.
Unlike Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is in a much more stable position, Raut said.
"Ajit Pawar understands his limitations and has built a stronger working relationship with Fadnavis," he wrote.
Raut claimed Pawar allied with the BJP to avoid action by the Enforcement Directorate in certain cases, recover assets worth Rs 1,000 crore, and secure the deputy chief minister's post as an additional benefit.
"Unlike Shinde, Pawar has no aspirations of becoming chief minister and is content with a politically safer position," he added.